The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of calathea botanically classified as Calathea roseopicta (Linden) Regel and known by the varietal name ‘Princess Jessie’. The new variety was discovered and selected by the breeder in a cultivated environment in 2006 in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands as a naturally occurring mutation in a tissue culture plant population of unpatented and unnamed Calathea roseopicta plants. Subsequently, the new variety was asexually reproduced by tissue culture and cuttings in Dongguang, Republic of China in January of 2007.
The most similar calathea variety to ‘Princess Jessie’ known to the breeder is ‘Dottie’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,736). ‘Princess Jessie’ differs from ‘Dottie’ in that its upper leaf surfaces bear a much broader bright pink (between N66C and 67B) zone on the edge of the leaves. Also, the main color of the upper leaf surface of ‘Princess Jessie’ is black (202A), while the main color of the upper leaf surface of ‘Dottie’ is a very dark grey-green. Further, under growing conditions in The Netherlands, ‘Dottie’ has a more compact growth habit than ‘Princess Jessie’. The following characteristics distinguish the new variety from other calathea varieties known to the breeder:                Black leaves;        Compact growth habit; and        Very wide pink band on the edge of the leaves.        
The new variety has been trial and field tested and has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics and remain true to type through successive asexual propagations.